Ethical Hacking News
Rybar's Russian Ties Exposed: A $10 Million Bounty for Election Meddling - The US government has taken a significant step towards combating election interference by placing a $10 million bounty on Russian media network Rybar and nine of its key staffers, following allegations that they sought to sway the upcoming US presidential election through anti-West narratives.
The US government has placed a $10 million bounty on Russian media network Rybar and nine of its key staffers for allegedly swaying the upcoming US presidential election through anti-West narratives.Rybar was responsible for promoting divisive discussions about undocumented migrants crossing the Texas border, aiming to encourage hate and violence in the United States.The network is partly funded by contracts awarded by Rostec, a defense organization in Russia, to bolster Russia's military capabilities and advance pro-Russian and anti-Western narratives.Tighten punishments are needed for state-sponsored cybercriminals who pose a significant threat to the integrity of elections.
The United States government has taken a significant step towards combating election interference by placing a $10 million bounty on Russian media network Rybar and nine of its key staffers. This move follows allegations that Rybar, which manages social media channels such as #HOLDTHELINE and #STANDWTHTEXAS, sought to sway the upcoming US presidential election through anti-West narratives.
According to Rewards for Justice (RFJ), a State Department initiative, Rybar was responsible for promoting divisive discussions about undocumented migrants crossing the Texas border through its TEXASvsUSA account on X. The account, which has since been suspended for violating the platform's rules, aimed to encourage hate and violence in the United States.
RFJ claims that Rybar's efforts were part of a broader campaign to sow discord and promote social division within the US. The network's feed on Telegram is filled with news stories that further Russia's political agenda, including framing Donald Trump as a potential leader who is against funding Ukraine's war efforts.
The media organization is partly funded by contracts awarded by Rostec, a defense organization in Russia that routinely tries to evade sanctions through various means. Rybar relies on these connections and funding to bolster Russia's military capabilities and advance pro-Russian and anti-Western narratives.
The US government has placed a $10 million bounty on Vladimir Sergeyevich Berkutov, who worked on the TEXASvsUSA campaign; Aleksandr Klimovich Kan, the head of Rybar's video department; Tatyana Petrovna Kosterova, the head of Rybar's foreign language resources unit; Olga Sergeyevna Kuznetsova, Rybar regional manager; Maksim Vitalyevich Matveyev "Matveev," designer and lead of content team; Aleksandr Igorevich Minin, chief of content on TEXASvsUSA; Valentina Valeryevna Minina, who worked on TEXASvsUSA; Mikhail Sergeyevich Zvinchuk, director at Rybar; and Valeriya Vladimirovna Zvinchuk, creative director at Rybar.
This move follows a recent report from Microsoft that hinted at just how much Putin wants a second Trump stint in the White House. The US government has been warning of interference efforts with both the UK's general election and the upcoming US presidential vote, urging people to be wary of key tools used to compromise election security.
The four Ds - Data theft and leaks, disinformation, deepfakes, and DDoS attacks - have been identified as major threats to election security. However, it has been suggested that tougher punishments are needed for state-sponsored cybercriminals, who pose a significant threat to the integrity of elections.
RFJ claims that since its inception in 1984, more than $250 million in payments have been made to over 125 people who helped the US bring people of interest to justice. This includes individuals and entities from countries such as Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea.
The US government has also been working to identify and disrupt cyberattacks on its critical national infrastructure. There are currently 27 individuals and entities for whom monetary rewards can be provided, should they ever be brought to justice.
In a broader context, the move against Rybar highlights the ongoing efforts by the US government to combat election interference and protect the integrity of democratic processes. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the complex challenges posed by state-sponsored cybercrime.
Related Information:
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/10/18/us_rybar_bounty/
Published: Thu Oct 17 21:56:53 2024 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
